On 17 Dec 1917 the War Department directed the organization of the 8th Division, Regular Army, at Camp Fremont. Training began on 6 Jan 1918. In May a draft of 8,000 men brings the unit to a strength of 22,000 men. On 3 Aug 1918 100 officers and 5,000 men are transferred to the Siberian Expeditionary Force. These numbers are made up from more drafts in Sept. An advance section consisting of the 319th Engineers sailed from new York on 25 Sept, and arrive in Liverpool 7 Oct. , then to Le Harve, France on 13 Oct. They arrive at Brest and begin construction of barracks at Pontanezen.
On 18 Oct the remainder of he Division moves from Camp Fremont to Camp Mills. The Advance Detchment sails from Hoboken on 27 Oct and arrives in Brest on 3 Nov. The Division HQ, 16th Infantry brigade, 8th Infantry Regiment, and 8th Field Artillery arrive in Brest on 9 Nov. The 15th Infantry Brigade, 13th Infantry Regiment, 22nd and 24th MG Battalions, 320th Signal Battalion and Trains remain at Camp Mills in the USA.
Not all elements of the Division was sent overseas. Those units that made it to France arrived very close tot he end of the war. The Division commander assumed command of Base Section No. 5 at Brest. The 16th Brigade and 8th Infantry moved to the Pons-Saintes Training Area on 12 Nov- one day after the Armistice. Shortly thereafter the Division is split up. The 16th Brigade is disbanded and the troops assigned to Camp Pontanezen. On 10 July 1919 the 8th Infantry is assigned to the Army of Occupation and is sent to Coblenz.
8th Field Artillery Brigade, and 319th Engineers, and Division HQ detachment are returned to the USA in 1919. The remaining units are demobilized. The Division HQ Detachment is demobilized on 5 Sept 1919. No combat is seen by any element of the Division due to arrival too late in the war.
The Divisional Shoulder Patch was designed at the end of WW1. The unit assumed the nickname of the "Golden Arrow Division" or the "Pathfinders".
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